~ An Alzheimer's Journey and Beyond

To Tweet Or Not To Tweet…

This week, NPR host Scott Simon tweeted from his mother’s bedside as she reached the end of her journey on Earth. And of course, people chimed in with their two cents about whether or not sharing such intimate moments with the world was appropriate.

My mom has been gone for 7 1/2 months now, but I remember those last days like they were yesterday…

A particularly special and treasured memory … one of my dearest friends and I painting Mom’s nails as she lay quietly sleeping. By then, we knew it wouldn’t be long – the end was near. The wonderful staff at Kobacker House dressed her in a pretty fresh nightgown each morning and she needed pretty pink nails to match…

I’d give anything to hold her hand again. Such a simple thing, yet so often we forget it’s those simple things that matter when nothing else does. We lose sight of what is truly important as we go about our busy lives. But holding someone’s hand – that’s important.

“When she asked for my help last night, we locked eyes. She calmed down. A look of love that surpasses understanding.” ~Scott Simon

There has been considerable debate over whether Scott’s tweets have been too personal… some people don’t feel this type of sharing was appropriate. But, I understand Scott’s need to express himself this way. As I sat with my mom in those final days, I found connecting with people via my blog and FB very comforting. Sharing those moments – it was cathartic in a way. It’s impossible to explain; I guess I needed for people to understand what we were going through. I needed to know people cared and that I wasn’t alone.

Everyone handles things differently. I heard a psychologist weigh in on the topic last night, saying that this form of expression is understandable and can be extremely therapeutic for some people. Just as we don’t criticize those who prefer to grieve in silence, neither should we criticize those who find some solace in connecting with others – through whatever means they choose.